Institutional Volume Levels By TJohn.

What this indicator does (plain English)

It builds a simple volume profile across all visible bars and then extracts three things:

VPOC (Volume Point of Control): the single price level that accumulated the most volume in the visible range.

HVNs (High-Volume Nodes): local peaks in the profile (prices where volume clusters).

LVNs (Low-Volume Nodes): local valleys (prices where volume is relatively thin).

It draws each HVN/LVN as a clean horizontal line extending to the right. Optionally it draws the VPOC line (slightly thicker). If price comes near any HVN/LVN (within your tolerance), it can label the bar and can also fire an alert.

How it works (under the hood)

The script divides the current visible price range into bins (like profile rows).

For each bar, it distributes that bar’s volume proportionally across the bins spanned by the bar’s high-low.

After history is “fixed” (no more repainting of older bars), it scans the volume array:

Finds the max volume index → VPOC price.

Scans neighbors (i-1, i, i+1) to find local peaks (HVN) and valleys (LVN) that also meet a minimum strength % relative to VPOC volume.

It then draws lines for HVNs/LVNs and the VPOC.

On every bar, it checks if current close is within highlightDist% of price of any HVN/LVN → sets nearLevel = true, shows an optional label, and enables alerts.

Inputs you’ll actually tweak

Volume Profile Bins (bins)
Higher = finer resolution. Start ~80–160 on intraday; ~120–240 on higher TFs. Too high can be noisy or heavy.

Min Level Strength (%) (minVolumePct)
Filters weak bumps. ~2–5% is typical. Raise it to show only the most significant nodes.

Highlight tolerance (%) (highlightDist)
Distance from price to a level to count as “near”. On BTC/indices you may keep it tight (0.05–0.15%); on volatile alts or small caps you may need 0.2–0.5%+.

Show near-level labels (showLabels)
Prints “HVN”/“LVN” on touches. Helpful when testing/alerting.

Show VPOC line (showVpoc) and VPOC Line Length (vpocLenBars)
Turn VPOC on/off and control how far back the line starts.

Colors & width
Cosmetic.

How to use it in a trading workflow

1) Context first (HTF):
Open a higher timeframe (e.g., 4H/D). Set bins so you get a smooth profile with clear few HVNs/LVNs—avoid “hairy” spaghetti. Note the key HVNs (support/absorption) and LVNs (gaps/air pockets) and the VPOC.

2) Execution (LTF):
Drop to your entry timeframe (e.g., 5–15m). Keep the visible range covering the relevant swing (the profile always uses visible bars). Watch for:

Rejections at LVNs → price often moves quickly through LVNs; a rejection at an LVN can be a fade back into the prior node.

Bounces at HVNs → mean-reverting reactions are common as HVNs act like magnets/cushions.

VPOC → strongest magnet; price often returns/retests.

3) Confluence (recommended):
Combine with:

VWAP / session levels (intraday structure)

S/R, order blocks, fair value gaps (your style)

Momentum/RSI for timing, or candle confirmation

4) Risk management:

Fade into HVNs with stops just beyond the level.

Trade through LVNs (breakouts) with stops inside the LVN if it fails.

Size with ATR/volatility. Nodes help define logical invalidation.

Reading the lines & labels

Green HVN lines: expect stickiness; price can stall, bounce, or mean-revert.

Red LVN lines: thin areas; once broken, price may travel fast to the next node.

Blue VPOC: strongest gravity point.

Labels “HVN/LVN” appear only when the close is within highlightDist% of that level (that’s also the alert trigger).

Alerts

There’s one condition:

“Institutional Volume Level Touched” → fires when any HVN/LVN is near (nearLevel = true).

Set it via Alerts → Condition = this indicator → “Institutional Volume Level Touched” and choose your notification method.

Practical presets

Scalping (1–5m): bins 80–140, minVolumePct 3–6%, highlightDist 0.08–0.2%.

Intraday (5–15m): bins 100–160, minVolumePct 3–5%, highlightDist 0.1–0.25%.

Swing (1H–4H/D): bins 120–240, minVolumePct 2–4%, highlightDist 0.15–0.4%.

Tune by eye: you want distinct HVNs/LVNs, not noise.

Tips & limitations

Visible range matters: zooming in/out changes levels (that’s intended). Decide your “working range” before acting.

No side-by-side sessions: this is a composite of visible bars, not separate sessions/profiles.

Resolution vs. stability: more bins = finer detail but more fragility. Find a sweet spot.

Not a signal generator: it marks where trading is easier/harder; you still need entry triggers and stops.

Quick start checklist

Set your timeframe and zoom to the swing you care about.

Adjust bins until the profile shows a few clear nodes.

Set minVolumePct so only meaningful HVNs/LVNs remain.

Pick highlightDist appropriate for the market’s volatility.

Turn on alerts to be pinged when price tags an HVN/LVN.

Trade with confluence and clear invalidations.